(23 Apr 2023, 10:55 pm)Storx wrote Aye be interesting mind if they did. Guess we'd only know though if they lost it and they take it on during the grace period. It compliments the 22 in the Howdon area aswell and makes the 1 pretty much redundant for most people who live round there, unless they hate Stagecoach for whatever reason.

In theory, the 1 could be broken up into different sections:

- 22A - covers the section of the 1 between Byker and Wallsend (via Appletree Gardens)

- 22/22A split - 22 still to Cobalt & Silverlink every 20 minutes. 22A to North Shields (and maybe Tynemouth) every 20 minutes

- 57 & 57A extended to North Shields via 306 route but serves Tynemouth Road rather than Linskill Terrace

- 306 does the current 1 route between Tynemouth & Whitley Bay >>> much better during the evenings and gets rid of the wasted layover in Tynemouth

- 97 re-instated as was

Also.......if GNE won a bid (maybe joint with Arriva) to electrify the 307 & 309, would GNE justify a new depot in North Tyneside unless a brand new 'depot in depot' was built and maybe shared with Arriva, noting that Arriva if they won the 306 & 308 as part of that bid....would also have the 43/44/45 & 47 to account for? Maybe with GNE also having the Q3, somewhere around Sandy Lane (as previously rumoured for Arriva) could be the perfect location for both operators.

Arriva maybe won't be as dominant in Blyth in future years, so not too far from Cramlington and even Killingworth for changeovers & reliefs.

GNE would change the Q3 in Great Park and for simplicity, could do remote reliefs for both the 307 & 309 in High Farm (via Sandy Lane > NT Council Offices > Forest Hall > Whitley Road > Station Road).